El-Sayed backs Van Hollen over Schumer for leader
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The gist
Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed says he wants Chris Van Hollen, not Chuck Schumer, as Senate Democratic leader.
At least seven incoming Democratic freshmen won't commit to Schumer in next month's vote.
Background
Abdul El-Sayed is Michigan's senator-elect, a former public health official from Ann Arbor who will be the first Muslim to serve in the Senate. Chris Van Hollen is a Maryland senator frequently mentioned as a possible candidate for Senate Democratic leader; Chuck Schumer is the Senate minority leader from New York. The fight follows the Democratic takeover of the Senate majority in the 2026 midterms, and Schumer had backed El-Sayed's primary rival, Rep. Haley Stevens, before endorsing El-Sayed after his win.
How it unfolded
- Jun 25, 2026Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen backs Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, breaking with party leadership; Chuck Schumer backed Rep. Haley Stevens.
- Aug 4, 2026El-Sayed wins Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, narrowly beating Stevens.
- Aug 6, 2026Schumer, with DSCC Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, endorses El-Sayed after his primary victory.
- Nov 3, 2026El-Sayed defeats Republican Mike Rogers by 7 percentage points, 52.5% to 45.5%, per unofficial returns.
- Nov 4, 2026El-Sayed says he wants new Senate leadership, not Schumer, and would like Van Hollen to run for majority leader; Schumer tells reporters in Washington, "I'll be re-elected as majority leader." Indivisible calls for Democrats to replace their current minority leader.
- Nov 5, 2026El-Sayed, on CNN's "CNN News Central" with Kate Bolduan, repeats his calls for Van Hollen to become Senate majority leader over Schumer.
Key terms
- DSCC
- The Democratic Party committee in the U.S. Senate that works to elect Democrats to the Senate.
- Indivisible
- A US progressive movement and organization founded in 2016 in reaction to Donald Trump's election, aiming to resist rightward shifts in government.
- majority leader
- A U.S. senator chosen by their party caucus to serve as chief spokesperson and leader of the chamber's majority party.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Support
- El-Sayed says he has been "very clear" that Van Hollen would be "an amazing Senate majority leader" and that "we need new leadership."
- Official
- Schumer tells reporters, "I'll be re-elected as majority leader."
- Party
- Several Democratic senators-elect — including Juliana Stratton, Adam Hamilton, Troy Jackson, Peggy Flanagan, Chris Pappas and James Talarico — have said or suggested they will not commit to Schumer.
- Public
- Progressive group Indivisible says "it's time for Senate Democrats to choose new leadership."
Still unverified
Van Hollen is reportedly mulling a 2028 presidential bid; El-Sayed referred to speculation about whether Van Hollen will run for president in 2028. El-Sayed declined to say explicitly "who I'm not for" in the leadership contest and said he did not know what the options are right now.